Chapter 3: Transportation

3.2.2 Blood Circulatory System in

Humans

❏ Structure and Functions of the Human Heart

❏ Structure and Functions of Main Blood Vessels
Blood Circulatory System in Humans
Involves the circulation of
blood which is pumped
from the heart to all parts
of the body through
specialised blood vessels,
namely arteries, capillaries
and veins.
❏ Structure and Functions of the Human Heart

Human heart is divided

into two parts - right
side and left side by a
muscular wall known as
septum.

It has four chambers:

➢ Two atria
➢ Two ventricles Heart chambers
 ➢ Ventricles have thicker
Thin
muscular muscular wall than atria
wall
because ventricles need to
pump blood out of the heart.
➢ Left ventricle has the
thickest muscular wall
because it pumps blood to
all parts of the body (except
Thick
muscular
Thickest
muscular
lungs) under high pressure.
wall
wall
There are four valves in the Heart valves
Bicuspid valve
heart to ensure blood flows Semilunar valve

in one direction only.

Right side:
➢ Tricuspid valve between right
atrium and right ventricle
➢ Semilunar valve between
right ventricle and pulmonary
artery

Left side:
➢ Bicuspid valve between left
atrium and left ventricle Semilunar valve
Tricuspid valve
➢ Semilunar valve between left
ventricle and aorta
 Main blood vessels connected to the heart
Superior Pulmonary
Blood is carried into the heart by vena cava veins
veins.

➔ The vein which carries

deoxygenated blood from all
parts of the body into the right
atrium is known as vena cava.
➔ The vein which carries
oxygenated blood from the
lungs into the left atrium is
known as pulmonary vein. Inferior
vena cava
 Main blood vessels connected to the heart
Aorta
Blood is carried out of the heart by
arteries.
Pulmonary
➔ The artery which carries artery
deoxygenated blood from right
ventricle to the lungs is known
as pulmonary artery.
➔ The artery which carries
oxygenated blood from the left
ventricle to all parts of the
body is known as aorta.
Simple structure of the human heart
Pulmonary artery (to lungs) Aorta (to all parts of the body)

Vena cava (from all parts

of the body Pulmonary vein (from lungs)

Semilunar valve Semilunar valve

Right atrium Left atrium

Tricuspid valve Bicuspid valve

Right ventricle Left ventricle

Septum
❏ Structure and Functions of Main Blood Vessels

There are three main

blood vessels:

Arteries, capillaries
and veins.

Arteries and veins are

connected by capillaries.
Observe the cross sections of artery, vein and capillary below.

● Artery, vein and capillary

have different structures
in order to facilitate their
functions in transporting
the blood.
● It depends on the
direction and condition
of blood flow in blood
circulation.
Structure of Artery

➢ Thick and
muscular wall with
a lot of elastic
tissues to
withstand high
blood pressure
➢ No valves
➢ Small lumen
Structure of Capillary

➢ Thinnest wall
which is one cell
thick without any
muscle or elastic
tissue
➢ No valves
➢ Smallest lumen
Structure of Vein

➢ Thin, less
muscular and less
elastic wall to
facilitate blood
flow under low
blood pressure
➢ Has valves
➢ Large lumen

Valve
Functions of Artery, Capillary and Vein
Type of
blood Artery Capillary Vein
vessel

Functions
➢ Transports oxygenated ➢ Allows the exchange of ➢ Transports deoxygenated
blood from the heart to gases, food (nutrients) blood back to the heart
whole body except the and waste products from the whole body
lungs. between the blood and except the lungs.
body cells via diffusion
➢ Pulmonary artery through the thin wall of the ➢ Pulmonary vein
transports deoxygenated capillary transports oxygenated
blood from the heart to blood from the lungs to
the lungs. the heart

Circulation
of blood ➢ Rapid blood flow under ➢ Slow blood flow under ➢ Slow blood flow under low
high blood pressure decreasing blood blood pressure
pressure
➢ Pulse detected ➢ No pulse
➢ No pulse
 Double Blood Circulatory System
Pulmonary vein
Lungs
➔ Blood flows
1
through the
heart twice in Pulmonary artery Aorta Pulmonary Circulatory
one complete System/ Pulmonary
Circulation
cycle.
Vena cava

1 2
Heart Systemic Circulatory
System/ Systemic
Circulation
Oxygenated blood
2
Deoxygenated blood
Body
 Double Blood Circulatory System
1
Pulmonary Circulatory System
Lungs
Deoxygenated blood is pumped out
of the heart (right ventricle) to the
lungs through pulmonary artery.
Pulmonary artery Pulmonary vein
Blood receives oxygen in the lungs
and turns to oxygenated blood.

Oxygenated blood is then flows

back to the heart (left atrium)
Heart
through pulmonary vein.
 Double Blood Circulatory System
2
Systemic Circulatory System
Heart
Oxygenated blood is pumped out of
the heart (left ventricle) to all parts
of the body except lungs through
aorta. Vena cava Aorta

Oxygen diffuses into body cells.

Blood turns to deoxygenated blood.
All parts
Deoxygenated blood is then flows of the
body
back to the heart (right atrium)
except
through vena cava. lungs
Extra Information
Thank you!